Ruto: Critics just hungry for power, selfish

President William Ruto on Friday launched a veiled attack on the new political formation around former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua saying it was out to divide Kenyan along tribal lines.

Ruto said the sole agenda of the group was to malign and peddle lies against his administration and scheme how to defeat him in the 2027 polls. He said it had no other agenda for Kenyans. 

The head of state noted the deceitful politicians have regrouped and resorted to engaging in empty rhetoric and planting seeds of discord while engaging in dividing Kenyans along tribal lines to serve their personal interests.

In his charm offensive tour of Taita Taveta County yesterday to inspect development projects, Dr Ruto hit out at the politicians whom he did not name for engaging in political 'conmanship' aimed at confusing Kenyans and sabotaging the government’s development agenda.

He used the tour to launch some projects and promised a bag of goodies to the local community.

He claimed his critics have failed to offer Kenyans any development agenda, adding that they have nothing to offer.

“I will not be intimidated by politicians who want to distract my development agenda to help transform the lives of Kenyans.

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"I will continue fulfilling my election promises to Kenyans despite resistance from politicians who do not appreciate what the government is doing to Kenyans, and I will not allow anyone to distract my development agenda for Kenyans,” the president told local community and elected leaders.

Speaking in Taveta, Voi and Maungu townships, the President urged Kenyans to reject selfish politicians spreading propaganda, tribal animosity and politics of division, deceit and hatred, saying they have no place in the country, which has made greater heights of development.

“Some dishonest politicians are busy regrouping themselves and dividing Kenyans along tribal lines. Planting seeds of discord among Kenyans, preaching politics of divisions, deceit, hatred which have no place in modern Kenya,” Dr  Ruto told the local community.

“The politicians have no plans and development agenda for Kenyans. Their only plan is to ensure that Kenyans fight and hate each other instead of working with the government to expand the economy for the betterment of all Kenyans warning them that they will not succeed to distract him from his development agenda,” he said.

Senate speaker Amason Kingi, who accompanied the president, said the season of politics of conmanship has started and cautioned Kenyans to be careful with such politicians.

“Those practising politics of conmanship will not succeed in removing the president from power in 2027,” Kingi stated.

Also present were Cabinet Secretaries Salim Mvurya, and Alice Wahome, Governor Andrew Mwadime, women representative Lydia Haika,MPs John Bwire (Taveta), Peter Shake (Mwatate), Damson Mwashako (Wundanyi) and Abdi Chome of Voi.

President Ruto launched the tarmacking of the 67-kilometre Illasit-Rombo-Njukini-Taveta Road, which will be completed in the next two years.

He said the road was key to farmers as it will link them to markets and expand the economy of the country.

“For the past 30 years, successive governments have been neglecting the road. But horticultural farmers will now easily access markets to transform their lives and improve the economy of the country. We have mobilized resources and the contractor is already on site. The road will be completed in the next two years," time,” he assured.

Ruto also laid the foundation stone for the Voi pool affordable housing project and inspected the construction works at Maungu fresh produce market.

He said among the roads under construction are the Cess-Jipe and Taveta town-Eldoro in Taveta constituency.

He also said the stalled Sh2.2 billion Bura-Mgange-Werugha-Wundanyi-Mbale-Msau-Mto-wa-Mwagodi road would be completed.

The 54 kilometre road that was initiated by the former administration stalled due to lack of funds.

On Friday, the president announced that the contractor will be on site next Monday to complete the road project that will help farmers in Taita Hills to access market centres.

“The road works have been delayed for quite some time but we have put funds to complete the project for the benefit of farmers in Taita Hills,” he stated.

He announced that negotiations between the county government and Kenya wildlife Service on the 50-50 percent revenue sharing from the Tsavo National park are complete and the parties will soon sign a memorandum of understanding to actualize the deal.

The president further disclosed the government has set aside Sh800 million to connect power to more than 10,000 people in the region.

“Under my watch, there is no region that will be marginalized or left behind in terms of development as I will stimulate development to all under the bottom up economic transformation agenda. My administration is committed to transforming the lives of all Kenyans irrespective of party affiliation,” he assured.

In addition, Dr Ruto declared that he will end the thorny squatter issue this year.

He said his administration has prioritized squatter settlement programmes to end the squatter menace in the Coast region that suffers one of the worst historical land injustices in the country.

“I have talked to the county governors to provide a list of parcels of land that the government can buy to settle the landless," he said.

Ruto said the government will construct a Sh300 million modern market in Voi to boost trade.